Nightwing
by Immorura
Summary: Stephanie agrees to go on a mission with Ranger but she doesn't know what she's gotten herself into.
1. One step higher

Chapter 1: One step higher

My name is Stephanie Plum.

My Hungarian and Italian heritage has left me with brown curly hair and blue eyes. My small and adorable nose is all mine.

I work as a bounty hunter for my cousin Vinnie and have been at it for nearly four years now.

During that time I've been thrown in garbage, shot at, set on fire, had a bomb taped to me, kidnapped several times, held hostage, flung off a bridge and handcuffed naked to my shower rod.

My now-permanently-ex-boyfriend, Joseph Morelli, was responsible for that last part.

Morelli is a dark haired and dark eyed 6 foot of pure Italian stud Police Detective with testosterone leaking out of his ears.

When I was 6, he taught me a game called _Choo-Choo,_ where I was the tunnel and he was the train. Unsurprisingly, we only played in his dad's garage and if I was wearing either a skirt or a dress.

And when I was 16, he relieved me of my virginity on the floor of a bakery I worked at. Three years later, I ran him over and broke his leg. Revenge is best served cold.

Joe was also one of my first FTAs (fail to appear) with a high bond which I really needed if I wanted to keep a roof over my head. Turns out, the schmuck was clean of his accusation and I suddenly had boyfriend who _really_ liked to share my bed.

About a month ago, he came to my apartment and told me about his new promotion. Yeah, of course I was happy for him. The only catch was he expected me to move to Idaho, marry him and be a house wife and mother to half a dozen kids.

So after a little quarrelling, arguing, him-accusing-me-of-seeing-Ranger and a beer bottle hitting the opposite wall on my part, we decided to call it quits. For good.

Whose Ranger you ask?

Well, Ricardo Carlos Manoso is Trenton's very own Batman. Only with a housekeeper named Ella instead of Alfred the Butler.

Commonly known as _Ranger, _he's 6ft of mocha-latte muscled deliciousness with dark brown eyes and smooth black hair he ties back in a low pony tail.

He owns a high security branch called _Rangeman_, like me only…better. He also catches FTAs with high bonds that I would never be able to handle on my own.

The Rangeman employees or _Merry Men_ as I like to call them, or nothing but the best of 200 pounds of pure muscle and the army of big brothers I never had who love to place bets on how long a car lasts with me as the driver.

Once, for one glorious night, Ranger was my lover. I was one of the very few people who saw this incredible Adonis _naked. _

Even the morning after, when he told me to be with Morelli, I was still hired to take on jobs for Rangeman which once paid off my rent for the rest of the year.

But my hunger for him was never satisfied.

Making due on stolen kisses and just cuddling in bed in the meantime while my relationship with_ Officer Horny_ was on hold never filled my needs whenever _Batman _and I were within 6 inches of each other.

Once I bid a final goodbye to Joe, it was like a curtain of fog had vanished from my senses and suffocated _Stupid Stephanie_.

_Sensible Stephanie_ took her place.

_Why has it taken you this long, Stephanie? Morelli only kissed and humped you because he was just horny. _

_ Yet Ranger, on the other hand, kissed you because you made his gun smell like orange blossom. _

_ What other man would do that? _

Not Morelli.

I was in my living room; face down on the couch after yet another messy chase with a skip, when my phone rang.

I grabbed it without looking up. "_Talk," _

"_Babe," _Came Ranger's voice, "You sound angry."

"Wouldn't you be if a man whose testosterone levels are higher than his IQ and wanted for stealing a crate of condoms dragged you through the mud?"

There was silence for a heartbeat. "That depends, how big was he?"

"When you say 'big', do you mean his height or his p-"

"Okay, I get it!"

I smirked.

"Anyway, I was wondering if you were interested in doing a job for me."

"What kind of job? Like a distraction?"

I felt him hesitate for a moment. "Well…Sort off. It's more of a mission. It will take about a week and a half, tops."

"I'm interested, but what about Rex?"

"He can stay on 7. Ella will look after him."

"Great! So what do I have to do? When, where and what to wear?"

I could hear him take a heavy breath. "I can't discuss details on the phone so I'll have Lester pick you up in an hour. But you need to pack just one outfit. You won't need anything else."

My eyes narrowed. "Can you be more specific?"

"Something…racy but not slutty. Oh and Babe, remember to make the underwear…_sexy."_

He hung up.

Feeling a jolt of excitement whizz through me along with a bunch of thoughts and questions that did nothing for my curiosity, I leapt off the sofa and went into the bathroom for a quick shower.

After I finished, I quickly dried off and hurried to my room to dress into a pair of old jeans and a blue tunic.

It took me a good fifteen minutes to finally decide on packing a bold leopard print halter top dress that went just above my knee. My best friend and sometimes partner, Lula, bought me it as a thank you present. I have to say, I looked good in it.

I carefully folded it into my duffel bag along with a pair of black 4 inch heels and a red corset bra that laced at the front with matching panties.

Setting the bag near the front door, I went into the kitchen to get Rex ready for his stay at Rangeman.

It wasn't his first time there and it always made me smile to think that the big, muscled boys who took out dangerous criminals would be protecting my hamster.

"Come on, Rex." I said, taking off the lid of his cage and scooping him up to put him in his travel carrier. "You're going to be staying at Uncle Ranger's while I'm gone."

Ranger doesn't know he's an uncle to a hamster but I was kind of hoping he'd be his new daddy someday.

I packed a few things for him like saw dust, rodent treats and a few extra bowls.

By the time I zipped up the bag, a knock came from my front door. I dropped Rex's things next to my duffel bag and opened it.

Lester stood in the hall way, hands in his pockets and a blank expression on his face.

This wasn't like him. The annoying yet lovable guy, who usually had a cocky grin plastered on his face and made over-the-top hand gestures, looked as though Christmas had been cancelled.

He offered me a smile that never reached his eyes.

"Hey Beautiful," He glanced at the bags, "Ready to go?"

I did my best to smile back. "Yeah, I'll just get Rex."

With his cage under my arm and Rex in my hand, I found Lester already standing by the elevator holding my bags.

When we were inside and heading down to the lobby, I started to worry about him. Lester usually never shut up and he had barely said a word.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "You're never usually this quiet."

He looked at me and half smiled. "Yeah, I was just thinking about some skips me and the boys are after this week. It involves some kids."

I didn't fully believe him but I decided to leave it at that. Lester had a big heart, along with some big muscles from all his time on the mats thanks to his big mouth.

The elevator doors opened and I followed him to a black SUV. He placed my bags into the back before taking Rex's cage from me.

I got into the passenger seat with Rex on my lap and before I knew it, Lester was driving us to the _Batcave._

Hal came to meet us in the garage.

He was kind of an aloof guy but even the look on his face when he came to greet us gave me an uneasy feeling.

"Hey Steph," He gave me a small smile. "Boss is in his office. He wants to speak to you privately. I'll take your little buddy to Ella. Lester will take care of your bags."

He held out his hand for Rex and I reluctantly handed him over.

I looked at him through the plastic. "See ya, Rex. I'll miss you."

I kissed my finger tip and placed it on the carrier before heading towards the door that lead to the main building and I swear I heard someone let out a sigh.

But I didn't look back. I approached the elevator and pressed the button that would take me straight to Ranger's office.

"_Babe."_

Ranger's favourite greeting for me which happened to mine too.

"So what's this mission? Are we going to go all _Batman _and _Wonder Woman!?" _

He smiled a very small smile before turning serious again. "You've got 2 choices. You can either learn what the mission is about first, _or_, you find out what the terms are."

I cocked my head slightly. "Mission."

He barely nodded as he picked up a file. "We're being sent to an uncharted island owned by a very dangerous South American mafia gang who specialise in every drug known to man and banned lethal weapons."

Ranger opened the file and took out the first sheet of paper and handed it to me.

There were mug shots of 3 men, who were scary just to look at, and 4 names.

The first was _Cortez Fermin "The Smile" Monaldo_. Mocha skinned, chin length black hair, dark eyes, 6'2, 180ibs but what caught my attention was the rigged scar that curved from the right corner of his mouth to the tip of his cheek bone. No hints for his nickname.

Next was _Ezio Martese "Shades" Callisto. _Tanned, spiky black hair, blue eyed and 6ft at 199ibs with a large light brown birthmark on his shoulder listed as a distinguishing feature.

And finally _Riqui Pedro "The hook" Othello. _Fair skinned, cropped hair, grey eyes, 5'9, 167ibs, has a scar in the shape of hook on his torso according to the unique character traits. Very original nickname.

There was no photo or description for the last name; _Nigel Nero "Nightwing" Sarbello. _

Ranger answered my unasked question when I looked back up at him. "You'll get a chance to see what Sarbello looks like when we land. I think you'll get a good description of him."

I stared at him for a while. "Okay…so why have you asked me to come? Am I supposed to play the typical tramp who hasn't got 2 brain cells to rub together, in a distraction?"

He looked at me for a moment before giving me one of his rare smiles. "Not exactly. Distraction, yes. Tramp, no. To bring these men down, a lot of evidence is needed. It'll be a lot easier with their eyes on you."

"Okay, I get the idea. So what do I have to do?"

His smile dropped and his poker face reappeared. "Firstly, when we arrive, make as little eye contact with them as you possibly can. Secondly, only speak when you're spoken too and finally," He tossed the folder back onto the desk and stepped closer to me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "You must do exactly what I say. That means you must obey every order I give you, no matter what. Understand?"

A chill went down my spine as I nodded. "What are terms?"

Ranger took in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. "Stephanie, this is probably the most dangerous mission I will ever take you on. We're dealing with a group of very treacherous men, they don't let anything or anyone get in their way and they'll take what they think will be beneficial to them. Once you're on the plane there's no changing your mind at the last minute. When we're there we're not leaving until we get what we need. So answer me truthfully, are you sure you want to do this? Because now is the time to withdraw."

His brown orbs pierced into my blue. I had never seen him look so serious or restless.

I firmly nodded my headed. "I'm sure. But one question."

He gave a nod.

"If the mission is so dangerous, why did you ask me? Aren't there other women who are more capable?"

Ranger let go of me and shrugged slightly. "Other women? I can't say there are." He brought his hand to my face and caressed my cheek. "But the real reason is because you're the only woman I trust, Babe."

I smiled and leant into his hand. I knew there was more I was capable of doing than just cooking and cleaning like the _perfect Burg wife_. I was already one step higher since my break up with Morelli. "When do we leave?"

He glanced at the clock. "In 10 minutes."


	2. Hot and cold

Chapter 2: Hot and Cold

I had left New Jersey with a smile on my face thinking how Tank had to explain to my parents that I wouldn't be at home for the next week and a half.

I pictured in my head, mountains of pressed and folded laundry around the living room with my mother in the middle of it all, gliding the iron back and forth with a bottle of Jack Daniels in hand.

But when I reviewed the accusations, I would probably need a bottle of whiskey or two.

Ranger was right. These men were dangerous.

The list of charges was 8 pages long. I had to reread some of them just to make sure I read them right.

The crimes included: kidnapping, extortion, corruption, smuggling, treason, perjury, heists, drug possession, banned lethal weapon concealment …. _Genocide, rape, torture…._

I felt my spine turn into a giant icicle. I decided to skip that section and went over the list of drugs they had retained.

My mouth dropped.

_Cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, rohypnol, PCP, GHB, crystal meth, steroids, heroin, marijuana, LSD, mushrooms…_the list went on; as did the banned lethal weapons.

I felt Ranger's eyes on me. "Still trying to process this, Babe?"

I looked at him. "These guys must be richer than…than…all the billionaires in the world combined!"

He tugged lightly on one of my curls. "It's amazing what kind of price people are willing to pay just to get a buzz. I've lost a handful of men who got hooked on cocaine and LSD. Some of them are still in rehab even after five years."

I blinked at him. "How did you find out they were on them?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Just recognised the symptoms; anxiety, paranoia, dilated pupils, bloodshot eyes, extreme weight loss, nosebleeds, track marks, that kind of thing." A sigh escaped his lips. "None of them ever attended to get addicted. Some were forced to whilst being held hostage while others just couldn't cope with some of the things their job included. Bobby had the hardest part in helping perform post-mortems. What the stuff does to you on the inside as well as the outside is not pretty."

I gulped. "Some of your men…_died _from…from overdosing?"

"That and suicide. Depression is a symptom as well."

I looked away from him and stared at my feet. The warnings my mother gave me about the Morelli boys as a kid were piddling compared to what these guys did.

I thanked my lucky stars Morelli (or anyone else for that matter) never got me hooked instead of screwing me in the bakery. After all, you thought you knew everything when you were a teenager.

Ranger got out of his seat and pulled my bag down from the overhead locker.

"We'll be landing soon, Babe. We better go change."

I placed the files aside and got up. He handed me my bag and motioned me to a cubicle.

When I came out in my leopard dress, I almost forgot to breathe.

Ranger had untied his hair from his ponytail and let it hung around his shoulders in a silky ebony curtain. His black threads had been replaced with indigo jeans, a charcoal suit and a crisp white dress shirt that contrasted beautifully with his skin. The top button was undone and I noticed a gold cross pendant hang around his neck.

I was too used to seeing Ranger wearing nothing but black. He looked so handsome that it hurt to look at him.

"_Babe," _He said, inspecting me up and down with a growing smile. "I never thought I'd see you in animal print."

I felt my cheeks burn. "Lula got me the dress as a thank you present."

He walked over to me and was close enough so I could see his dilated pupils. "Remind me to_ thank her…"_ He pulled me to him and kissed me. I was sure I was going to collapse from lack of air as I felt my eyes roll in the back of my head. "I can die a happy man seeing you in something sexy."

I smirked. "You should see the lingerie."

"_ReeeeOWR!" _He growled.

Ranger was quiet for the last 10 minutes of the flight. He was in his _zone _and I knew better than to disturb him.

I looked out the window as the plane gracefully ran over the runway. If I hadn't known we were flying to an uncharted island, I would have thought the pilot had taken us to the wrong place.

We were surrounded by lush green trees and plants of every colour while a clear blue ocean reflected the cloudless sky as the sun shone a proud yellow. This is what I would have called paradise.

My spine tingled and I looked up to meet Ranger's eyes. He was already standing; his gaze was serious.

He took my hand and pulled me from my seat. "Do you remember what I told you?"

I took a deep breath. "_Avoid eye contact_. _Speak only when spoken too_. _Do whatever you say_."

Ranger nodded and the corners of his lips twitched slightly.

"_Babe," _He whispered, giving my hand a squeeze. "Before we get off the plane, I want you to know if the mission goes to plan, there's something I want to ask you."

I blinked at him. "What?"

He smiled and kissed my hand. "You'll have to wait."

He turned and headed towards the exit, pulling me with him.

I struggled to swallow as I felt my heart start to pound my ribcage as me and Ranger walked down the steps. A man in a dark blue suit was waiting for us. He had fair skin and cropped hair.

Could it be?

_Riqui Pedro "The hook" Othello? _

No….It couldn't have been.

Why would he meet the man in charge of getting him and his gang arrested?

I did as Ranger said and kept my eyes to the ground. My throat bone dry.

"Pedro." Ranger greeted him, confirming I was right. "Long time no see _mi amigo._"

My eyes snapped up. _Amigo?_

Pedro grinned. He had a gold tooth next to his upper left canine. "_Ah mi hermano…_Time has favoured you."

His eyes flicked to me and his grin widened. I think I was going to be sick….

"And who might you be _mi encantadora?"_

The blood slithered away from my face. I didn't know if I was supposed to use a phony name. My eyes found Ranger and he gave me a slight nod.

"_Stephanie." _My voice cracked and shook a little.

"_Stephanie_…." Pedro purred. He took my hand and kissed it, making my stomach feeling like it was trying to turn itself inside out. "We don't get many outsiders visiting our island. It's nice to see a fresh face."

I forced a smile and turned my attention towards the ground.

"Where are Cortez and Ezio?" Ranger asked.

Pedro laughed softly, "They're at _Sede. _Come. They'll be waiting for us to arrive."

I sat with my arms folded across my chest and my eyes glued to the Rolls Royce floor. Ranger sat next to me, leaning back with his arm around my shoulders. Pedro was in the driver's seat.

We had been moving for about 30 minutes which gave me enough time to let what Ranger had told me back in New Jersey to sink in, now we were, as I liked to call it, _in the wind. _

None of us had said a word but my throat was still too dry to speak.

Another 15 minutes had passed and we arrived at a beautiful marble villa surrounded by an 8ft spiked chain fence.

Pedro held up a silver remote pointed towards it. He pressed a button and a camouflaged gate slid to the side. He drove across a red tiled driveway and killed the engine.

Ranger opened the door and got out before taking my hand to help me up.

I got a better view of the building when I was out of the car. The walls were a perfect white with a terracotta tiled roof. There weren't many windows but the few I could see where barred with black iron. I looked around the grounds. Just a few palm trees and hibiscus bushes across some gravelled terrain.

It took me a while to remember what kind of people lived here.

How many lives had to be ruined before the bastards were able to afford this?

Pedro closed the gate and led us inside.

"_Mis hermanos! _Look who's finally here!" His call echoed around a marbled room furnished with blood red sofas and chairs and tiled stands and tables while a huge crystal chandelier hung from above.

2 men appeared from down a hall way and I immediately recognised _Cortez Fermin "the smile" Monaldo _and _Ezio Martese "Shades" Callisto. _They both wore dark coloured dress shirts unbuttoned at the top with black jeans.

I wondered when _Nigel Nero "Nightwing" Sarbello_ was going to show his face.

My eyes casted to the sofa when they both grinned towards me and Ranger. Despite the heat, a chill sent goose bumps across my arms and shoulders. I stifled a shiver.

"Cortez. Ezio." Ranger said with a smile playing in his voice. "Some things never change."

They both came forward. Cortez's scar was sicklier looking in person. He stood a foot closer to us than Ezio, hands on his hips.

A slow and horrible grin began to form on his lips; his scar curved with his cheek muscle.

"I could say the same thing about you too, Nigel."


	3. No more

Chapter 3: No more

My chest tightened.

I struggled to breathe as my heart started to bruise my ribcage.

My eyes were focused on Ranger…or whoever he was pretending to be. Why didn't he tell me he was going to use a phony name?

Hang on…How do these guys know him? And why would _Nightwing _be on the name list?

If Ranger was planning to pretend to be Nightwing, why didn't he mention it to me before we left New Jersey?

My mind backtracked to when we got off the plane: He had said; _long time no see…._

Cortez's grin creased the thin skin of his scar as he looked me up and down. I took in a few deep breaths to stop my stomach from heaving when he stepped a foot closer in my direction.

"Nightwing…" He growled softly without looking at Ranger. "I didn't know you were bringing a guest."

Our eyes were locked, paralysing me.

Pedro made an over dramatic bark of laughter that broke our contact. I mentally crossed myself.

"_Oh mi! Lo siento, Novio. _I have forgotten my hospitality. What would _mi mama _say? Cortez, this _encantadora dama _is Stephanie."

Ranger's hand slid around my waist. He pulled me in front of him, wrapped one arm over my front and placed his free hand on my neck with his thumb stroking the hollow of my throat.

Usually, I would instantly feel safe being in his arms but the way he held me wasn't like the embrace that made me believe I was out of harm's way. His grip was so hard and possessive my back was pressed firmly against him.

I peered up at him over my shoulder and noticed the frightening change in his eyes- feral and harsh.

"Stephanie and I have been _buenos amigos _for some time but now she has become…_mi amante. Usted entiende to que quiero decir?" _

All three of them laughed, grinned and wolf whistled. I really needed a bucket.

"Also," Ranger continued. "_I don't share_." His grip tightened.

There was silence for a beat before Ezio spoke for the first time. "Aw but Nightwing, you'll have to forgive us in advance if we make any attempts" He licked his lips as he looked at me. "Stephanie is _muy_ beautiful but when it is just us, so are Cortez and Pedro."

Okay, if they said anything else I was gonna to hurl.

Ranger moved to my side with his arm still around me. "I am going to show Stephanie to our room. _Vamos a necesitar un poco de ropa._"

They all nodded as he guided me down the hall.

We rounded 2 corners until he stopped and opened a door. He led me in to a bedroom which looked like a setting from a cheesy romance movie I used to watch in college.

The floor was tiled with terracotta and the walls were a warm cream colour. A black iron king sized bed stood in the middle of the room with blood red sheets.

I noticed 2 other doors on my left as Ranger closed the door behind us.

He took off his jacket and headed to the one furthest from us which turned out to be a walk-in-closet. He opened it and took out a coat hanger.

I watched him hang his jacket before he turned around and looked at me with pure nonchalance.

"That's the door to the ensuite bathroom if you want to freshen up." He said, nodding towards it.

I stared at him, waiting for him to drop me a hint of his detailed plan.

He stared back at me for a while before stepping closer. "Penny for your thoughts, Babe?"

"What's going on?" I blurted out in a hushed whisper.

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

I gaped at him before shaking my head frantically. "What do _you_ mean what do _I_ mean? I thought we left Trenton a couple of hours ago to catch a gang of drug dealers and-"

"_You thought wrong."_

Every cell in my body turned to ice at the sudden change of his tone. His words came out in an angry growl which matched the look in his eyes.

"I am here on business and _only _business."

My eyes widened half an inch. "Then why did you bring me with you?"

He looked at me for a moment before a grin started to appear on his lips and his pupils dilated pure black. His hands snatched my arms and he pulled me closer to him. "Did you not hear what Pedro said, Babe?" Our faces were inches apart. "You are very beautiful, but when it is just us, _so are they_."

His lips slammed onto mine, knocking the air out of me. I struggled to breathe as his hands threaded through my hair and groped my ass while he wrestled my tongue into submission.

I gasped heavily when we parted, his hands still in place.

That wasn't the kind of kiss that made my brain go fuzzy. It didn't even feel like I had been kissed by Ranger. It was like being tongued by a total stranger.

He smirked at me with a glint in his eye. "If you remember to do as I say, you'll learn to like it here."

I felt as though my insides had been hollowed out like a pumpkin. How long was I going to be here?

Until he got bored of me?

If he did, what would he do to me?

"But Ranger, I-"

His hand on my ass was suddenly clasped around my throat. I gasped as his fingertips lightly squeezed against the flesh around my windpipe and his grasp on my hair adjusted. I didn't dare blink as his eyes filled with fury.

He leaned in closer to me. "The _Ranger _you know, is no more." He whispered coldly. "_Carlos Manoso _does not exist on this island. I am, as you now know, Nigel Nero _Nightwing _Sarbello."

He let go of me and walked out the door.

_His hand was around my throat..._

There were times when I was afraid of Ranger; when he seduced me, stole kisses and ran his hands all over me or when he dealt with skips and dangerous criminals when I was asked to help be a distraction. But he had never laid a finger on me and always made sure I was safe. Now I was getting terrified of him.

A horrible thought occurred to me. Was this how he was able to afford Rangeman? Pretending to help provide security for people while at the same time helping to sabotage the lives of others?

_Oh Stephanie, what have you got yourself in to? _

But I always trusted Ranger. He had saved my life more times than I could count. He had watched over me. He had made me feel loved- _wanted._ And, unlike Morelli, he never expected me to change myself to suit him.

_He had always been there for me…_

I yawned as my brain started to overload with emotion and exhaustion. My throbbing feet screamed at me when they decided I had my heels on for too long.

I took them off, climbed onto the bed and closed my eyes.

I woke up when I felt something glide up and down my leg.

My eyes opened and Ranger stood towering over me. His hand slowly made its way up my skirt and groped my butt cheek. He smirked when I squirmed. "Feeling refreshed?"

I felt goose-bumps crawl across my skin. "Kinda…"

Ranger retracted his hand and held it out to me. I placed mine in it and he pulled me to my feet.

I noticed several paper bags around the room, all brown with no logos or pictures.

He moved to stand behind me. I felt his fingers brush my hair aside and fumble with the bow of the straps that kept the bodice of my dress from slipping down before pulling on the zipper.

I felt him pinch my skirt with both hands before roughly tugging it down to the floor and almost yelped when I was left standing in my corset bra and panties. I felt his warm finger tips stroke the bare and tender skin of my lower back. I shivered just as he pulled me against him, his hands sliding to my stomach and up my abdomen before cupping my breasts.

I took in a sharp breath as I felt him kiss my shoulder. _A light gentle kiss. _A thrill went up my spine when his lips began to leave trails of caresses along my neck and jaw.

His hands rested on my hips and he spun me around to face him.

I gulped at the glimmer in his eye and his enlarged pupils. I noticed he had changed his white shirt for a dark red one. It reminded me of dried blood.

"Dinner will be served in 10 minutes." He motioned a hand towards the bags. "I've brought you some new clothes. Pick a dress to wear and make sure it's…_nice._" He grinned one of his 2000 watt smiles I rarely saw. This one did nothing to settle my nerves.

I flinched when his hand moved to my face but he lightly titled my chin with a thumb and forefinger. I thought I was going to pass out.

"Don't be afraid, _Querido._"

His thumb ran along my bottom lip before he kissed me again. It wasn't as hard as the one from earlier but it wasn't the kiss I was used to.

We parted. "You have nothing to worry about if you remember what I told you to do. Also, you heard me say to the others that I _don't share…_"

I nodded hesitantly.

"If they ask you a personal question, make something up but don't include anything or anyone from Trenton," His eyes narrowed, "That includes Rangeman and Bounty Hunting."

My lungs burned for air and I realised I was holding my breath. I exhaled softly before nodding again.

I had trouble finding the least slutty dress in the bags Ranger had brought in. You could hardly call them dresses; they were more like scraps of cloth held together with string and a label. I couldn't even imagine Lula wearing them.

I finally chose a black mini dress with lace around the neckline. I slipped my heels back on and inspected myself in the mirror.

Despite my current situation, I actually looked great. I looked like the love interest of a James Bond villain.

The dark material made my skin glow which brought out the blue in my eyes. I was also glad Lula and Connie dragged me to get me waxed against my will the other week as the hemline was a couple of inches above my knee. The neckline, which was cut into a sweetheart style, went down to my breastbone and emphasised my cleavage.

The door opened and Ranger walked in.

Even though I verbally called him _Nigel, _I still couldn't get used to calling him that inside my head. I was constantly reminding myself that he was Nigel/Nightwing now. Not Carlos/Ranger.

Goose-bumps ran across my skin as he walked towards me. I knew I chose the right dress because of the smile on his face.

I wanted to run but my legs stayed put. Plus, I was wearing heels. I wouldn't make it 3 steps without face-planting onto the floor.

Ranger stopped a foot away from me and looked me up and down slowly. His eyes darkened with a predatory hold as they met mine.

"_Very nice…." _He grinned before snaking his hand around my waist and guiding me towards the door.

We approached a tiled rectangular dining table where 5 plates were laid out with fried chicken, rice and peppers while 5 wine glasses were filled with red wine.

Pedro, Ezio and Cortez sat waiting for us and I tried not to make contact with the 6 eyes that were probably staring at either my legs or my chest. Ranger pulled out a chair for me at the end of the table and sat me down before taking a seat beside me to my right with an expression that warned the men where to keep their hands and eyes.

Too bad he couldn't keep their mouths shut.

"So Stephanie, tell us about yourself." Said Ezio, stabbing a piece of chicken with his fork.

I glanced at Ranger who was already eyeing me.

"Well…" I said, struggling to swallow as I looked down at my plate. "There's not much to tell. I was born and raised in New…New York…I was home schooled by my grandma and until I met R_…Nigel _I worked as a…as a waitress."

My heart started thumping 3 times harder when I nearly slipped up. I dared to glance at Ranger again who was watching me with a raised eyebrow, but otherwise, no emotion.

"And how did you meet Nigel?" Pedro asked wine glass in hand.

Oh great. Story time with Stephanie.

"I…I met him on one of my nightshifts. While I was serving a table full of…_creepy men_, one of them tried to get funny with me. He wouldn't leave me alone and…and when I told him to cut it out, he got violent and pushed me against the wall but Nigel stepped in and beat the crap out of him."

Ranger stroked my arm with one finger. "Even the first time I laid eyes on her, I knew she was mine. And I'm _never_ willing to share."

They all laughed and wolf whistled again.

"Ah, Nightwing," Cortez sighed, sobering himself. "You never change."


	4. Branded

I could barely keep my food down as they all exchanged stories about their _customers. _

I wanted to cry by the time Ezio bragged about how he had sold $15,000,000 worth of banned firearms to some pirates in the south.

All of them, except Ranger, were drunk and laughing like maniacs.

Pedro leaned in closer to me; his breath reeked of wine. "I once got $95,000 of a rich _la mujerzuela _and I got to _follarla _too!"

The rest of them threw their heads back and cackled like hyenas. I felt Ranger's hand on my wrist. I looked at him and his face was unreadable. I felt comforted seeing him like the Ranger I knew.

"I hope you remember that I _don't share, _Pedro." He smirked.

Pedro looked at him with a sleazy half grin and lazy gaze. He hiccupped slightly as he spoke. "_Lo sé! Lo sé!_ But _su mujer_ is so tempting, Nigel! Forbidden _la lujuria _makes it more…_enticing._"

Ranger's grip tightened so I moved my eyes to my plate. I wasn't big on Spanish and was glad of it now. I didn't want to know what was being said.

"Easy now, Pedro," Cortez said. We all looked at him. "We don't want our rare visit from Nigel to be spoiled."

He caught my eye and I was paralysed again; like a mouse caught in a snake's hypnotise.

"And we don't want Stephanie to feel…uncomfortable, either."

I gulped before Ranger took hold of my chin with a thumb and forefinger and forced me to face him. His eyes had dilated to black with a dangerous glint in them.

"No." He said. "We don't."

Ranger, Pedro and Ezio stayed sat at the table while Cortez took our plates away. As he stood behind me and leant over to take away my plate, I could feel his eyes burn into the back of my head. I could smell the wine off his breath too.

I stayed statue still and kept my eyes down. The others were too busy talking and bragging to notice.

After a while of downing another few glasses, I got up and excused myself.

I glanced at Ranger as I left the table; his eyes still had that dangerous glint in them.

When I was half way down to our room, I felt a pair of hands grab me from behind by my waist. I gasped as I was slammed against the wall and was met face to face with Cortez.

He was grinning at me with a feral blaze in his eye; his scar sickeningly creased into thin folds of tissue. His breath stunk of alcohol and gassed me with his heavy breathing.

I gulped again as his grasp on me tightened. His hands were too close to my nether-regions for my heart to stop pounding a billion beats per second. He snickered when I tried to push him away and stepped forward so his body was pressed against mine – trapping me.

"_Nigel is one lucky bastard, bebé." _Cortez slurred, his face inching closer. "_It's been a while since I've had…some time with a woman…" _

He laughed as one hand squeeze my ass and the other groped my breast.

"_NIGEL!"_ I screamed before Cortez slammed his mouth over mine and stuck his tongue down my throat. My eyes nearly popped out their sockets at how bad his breath stunk of the wine while he began to suck my lungs dry.

I glimpsed Ranger running towards us and soon found myself gasping for air as Cortez was yanked off me.

Pedro and Ezio hurried over, both looking baffled as they switched their focus from Cortez, to Ranger then to me.

I didn't know whether to feel reassured or anxious when I saw the look on Ranger's face. Nothing but pure anger flared in his eyes as he held Cortez against the wall by the collar of his shirt.

"You were sober enough to understand that Stephanie is _mine _and _only mine!_ Even if you're drunk off your ass I'm sure you'd know better than to do it with my woman!"

Cortez didn't reply. He just half-glared and half-gaped at Ranger with glassy eyes and his mouth hanging open.

Ezio stepped forward and placed a hand on Ranger's shoulder. "Nigel. Calm down, man. Cortez is pissed! He doesn't know what he's doing." He gave me a glance. "_Su señora. Ella te necesita, hermano."_

A few moments passed until Ranger let go of Cortez and turned towards me; his expression never faltered.

I didn't know what to expect when our eyes locked. I recoiled as he approached me; his arm seized my shoulders before he guided me to our room.

He pushed me in and slammed the door shut before leaning against it; breathing deeply. While he was getting a hold of himself, I took the time to rub my arms to cease the trembling in my hands.

It wasn't long until I felt Ranger grab me by the arm and spun me around to face him. The anger had gone from his face but his eyes held a frenzy I didn't dare to test.

"I told you not to make eye contact for a reason!" He snarled. I tried to back away from him but he wrenched me back. "You're lucky Cortez was drunk. It would have been a lot worse if he was sober!"

I was paralysed again underneath his intense stare. My mouth went dry as I felt myself start to quiver and my heart vibrated from the endless number of poundings in my chest. After a minute, Ranger breathed out and relaxed before loosening his grip on my arm. He pulled me closer to place his hands on either side of my face and pressed his lips against mine.

It was neither a soft nor a hard kiss. No tongue wrestling either but it felt like I was being branded. I couldn't detect any of the wine we had at dinner either.

He pulled away and looked down at me with an ascertain glare before wrapping an arm around my waist to press me against him. I tried to control the shaking I did as my hands lay on his chest. My eyes barley blinked as I stared up at him. My heart was about to give out for sure.

"Be careful when you're on your own. I'm not prepared for them to use you as some common whore."

"But he…" I gasped when his fingers fisted through my hair and tugged my head back slightly.

I made shallow pants as Ranger's face became ominous with fury. "_I said be careful." _He whispered. "_Don't _make eye contact and _don't _speak unless spoken too."

Tears pooled in my eyes as he let go of me. He kissed my forehead before walking out the door.

I hurried to the ensuite bathroom and locked myself inside. The tears came streaming down my face as I slid down the door and hid my face in my hands.

So many questions buzzed through my head the confusion made me nauseous.

Why did Ranger...Nigel… or whoever the hell he was, save me so many times back in New Jersey and practically threaten my life here?

Was he really trying to take down these guys or did he just bring me along as his toy?

If I was here just to keep him entertained…What would happen when he got bored of me?

Were we really here for only a week and a half?

Did he really mean it when he said he _didn't share_?

I never thought about the other guys…

Goosebumps ran across my skin at the thought of Cortez's mouth over mine. I shuddered as I got to my feet to grab a tissue. After drying my eyes, I caught sight of myself in the large mirror that took up half the wall over the sink.

My mother would have a stroke if she saw me wearing this dress. I didn't realise how skimpy or revealing it really was even when I tried pulling the hem down.

Did Ranger blame me for what happened? He did tell me to dress _nice _but maybe the eye contact is what set Cortez off.

I shook my head violently and Sensible Stephanie echoed in my head.

_No Stephanie! Remember all that information about rape victims? They may feel like it was their fault but that's not true! You may have been lucky not to be raped but it wasn't your fault if Cortez couldn't keep it in his pants. If Ranger wanted you to look sexy…no…if YOU wanted to look sexy and feel good then there's nothing wrong with that! _

I smiled in the mirror. I did look sexy and I did feel good in the dress.

I didn't want to go back to the dining room so I washed away the tear stains and tied my hair back into a braid before going back into the bedroom to find something to sleep in.

I didn't know what to expect to find in the bags Ranger brought; probably some baby doll night dress that was skimpy or see-through or both; possibly the underwear too.

I opened the door and nearly screamed when I found Ranger on the other side. He was holding his black t-shirt…his Rangeman trade mark.

His face was unreadable again but I felt too scared to move.

"You can sleep in this." He said bluntly, handing the shirt to me with our eyes locked again.

"…_thank you."_ I whispered.

Ranger studied me for a couple of micro-seconds. "Babe, it wasn't your fault."

Then he left.

I glanced out the window to see pure darkness and suddenly felt the energy drain from me. After closing the bathroom door, I stripped to my panties and pulled the shirt over my head.

It was the same shirt he wore on the plane. The smell of Bulgari still lingered as I inhaled it.

I went back into the bedroom, hung up the dress and hid my bra in the back of the chest-of-draws before climbing into bed.

The sheets were soft and stroked my skin with feather-light caresses. The pillow was just right; not too hard and not too soft. I felt like royalty lying in a bed that made the one back in my apartment look like a spring-sandwich.

I closed my eyes and thought about everyone back home.

Least my family knew where I was (theoretically speaking) and my mother was always worried about me anyway. Dad didn't seem to care what I did; he had more faith in me and Grandma would be eager to hear the big story because I was the more exciting granddaughter.

I thought about my misadventures with Lula and I swear we should have our own T.V show looking back at what we got ourselves into.

And Rex…I couldn't stand the idea of him being orphaned and I was debating whether he should keep his Uncle Ranger. I was comforted by knowing Ella would keep his cage immaculate and feed him food that was healthier than the crap they sold in the pet store.

I heard the door open and then closed shut before footsteps merged towards the chest-of-draws, there was rustling of clothes being tossed on top of the wood.

I felt the sheets being drawn back just as the back of my neck tingled and Ranger pulled me against him with an arm firmly around my waist and his fingers inches away from _the girls_. His lips touched the nape of my neck before leaving a trail of kisses just below my ear. I kept my eyes closed.

I couldn't move despite the goose-bumps that covered my arms and the shivers that went up my spine.

"I know you're awake, Babe." Ranger whispered, planting more kisses on my neck and jawline. "And you should know. I won't let the filthy-minded bastards touch you."

I didn't know whether to be relieved or concerned.

"Because, you're mine…."


	5. Morning Announcement

I woke up in Ranger's arms; his left hand cradling my head, his right just above my ass and our legs entangled. All that was missing was the smell of Bulgari on his skin.

He was already awake when I opened my eyes. His hair framed his face in loose wild strands which made him look even sexier.

"_Buenos Dias, Babe." _Ranger said before kissing me.

I swallowed as the memory from last night replayed in my head. "….Morning."

We had only been on the island for less than 24 hours and it was like the Ranger I knew had vanished completely.

He had held me by the hair; had his hand around my throat; talked about me like I was an object; groped me…..

Actually, scratch that last part. He always did that and I kind of always liked it…

He got out the bed and went into the bathroom. I heard the sound of water flowing from the shower so I got up and inspected the rest of my new clothes.

I had few pairs of jeans and shorts, a few miniskirts, more revealing dresses and a few tank tops and t-shirts that were the kind that would cost me a month's grocery money.

In another bag I found a lot of bras and panties made with silk, satin and a see-through mesh along with a few pairs of shoes; sandals, pumps and slip-ons.

It never occurred to me until now but how did Ranger know my size with….everything?

The bathroom door opened and he came in with nothing but a towel around his waist. No Bulgari scent.

His hair hung around his broad shoulders like a shining curtain of cashmere. His washboard abs rippled as he moved and his mocha skin gleamed in the morning light.

_Jeez…_

I was standing in the middle of a bedroom gawking at Ranger, one of the sexiest men alive with only a towel to cover his tools, and I was too scared to enjoy it.

If I wasn't on an uncharted island with 3 notoriously dangerous men and fearing for my life, I would be envied by every woman on the planet right now.

I hurried into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. Goosebumps appeared on my arms as the image of him was imprinted into my memory. I couldn't get a hold of myself. I had seen him naked a dozen times but since _Nigel _introduced himself it was like seeing another man in the nude. I took a deep breath and shook my head while telling myself to get a grip.

I had a quick shower; towel dried my hair and completely covered myself by wrapping a large towel around my torso and another over my shoulders.

I hung the black shirt I slept in over the radiator; hoping to keep the smell of Bulgari for as a long as possible before going back into the bedroom and nearly swooned like a woman in another cheesy romance movie.

Ranger was already dressed in a pair of black jeans and a light blue dress shirt with the top 3 buttons undone. The gold cross pendant lay against his bare skin, beautifully contrasted.

He stood with his arms folded against his chest with no emotion on his face. But until his eyes met mine, a small smirk slowly appeared on his lips as he looked me up and down.

"I hope you don't plan on changing." He whispered as my heart started to beat 5 times faster. He stepped towards me before sliding his hands around my waist and pulling me against him. At least I wouldn't crack my head if I fainted.

A hand gripped on to the towel around my shoulders and I yelped when it was suddenly yanked off of me.

Ranger's pupils dilated to black as they roamed the bare skin above my cleavage. His lips captured mine and a shiver ran up my spine as his fingers slowly traced little patterns over my back.

He pulled away and simpered at me. "Hopefully, you won't have to worry about Cortez this morning. He'll be hung over for a while." His smirk vanished and I felt his hand move to the back of my neck. "_But _p_retend nothing happened." _

I was too scared to reply; all the muscles in my limbs turned to ice. Ranger let go of me and walked out the door.

The chill in my arms and legs died away and I started to shake violently. I couldn't work anything out in my head. I didn't know what to think.

He had saved me from Cortez last night, brought me to the bedroom to scare the bejeezes out of me and later came back with something for me to sleep in and told me it wasn't my fault in a somewhat comforting way.

If I was going to be naïve, the only fact that I could hold on to was that he had stopped the unwanted attention.

I dried the rest of myself off, picked a random bra and panties before getting dressed into a pair of blue jeans, a green low-cut t-shirt and some black flats.

I didn't know what to do next. I lingered by the door, wondering if it was okay for me to leave the room. I just had to be careful like Ranger said, right?

I bit the bullet and opened the door to an empty hall way. Okay, so far so good. No scary, sex-deprived men lingering in the shadows….or behind the door.

Ranger and Pedro were sitting at the dining table with mugs of coffee. They both looked up at me as I dawdled awkwardly in the archway holding my arms.

"_Buenos Dias, Stephanie." _Pedro greeted me with a nervous tone in his voice. _"Los siento _about last night. Ezio wasn't kidding about all of us being pretty after some time without the…the presence of a _senorita._"

I pressed my lips together as I switched my eyes to Ranger who gave me a hard stare. I decided to stay quiet.

"I can assure you _mi Querido;_ any lady-friend of Nigel is a friend of ours." Pedro grinned before taking a sip from his mug and pointed to a door behind him. "There is coffee made in the pot in the kitchen. Help yourself."

I licked my lips. "…Thank you."

I couldn't wait to get out of there. _Lady-friend_ did not sound good coming from him and I only had Ranger's warning that he _didn't share_ to comfort me.

I had to stop myself from sprinting out the room as I walked swiftly into the kitchen. It was a kind of scullery type of style that would class up my apartment. The walls and floor were tiled with burgundy, the units and cabinets were a crimson red and the stove, oven and fridge were a flawless jet black.

My mother would have sold her soul to have a kitchen like this.

Ezio was in the kitchen pouring out 3 more mugs of coffee. He looked up as I entered and handed one to me. "Milk and sugar?"

I managed to nod and made a small smile as I took the mug. "Thanks."

"I heard Pedro talking to you and after last night with Cortez's….drunken mishap, it's a small start. I'm sorry it happened on the same day you and Nigel arrived."

I felt a tiny lightbulb appear above my head.

"Don't be. It's not the first time something like that has happened." I said, taking a sip.

Ezio raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

I turned my eyes to the floor. "Well….there was the first time we met, I told you that last night, and a couple of times when I was home alone...and whenever Nigel and I were out together in places like…Central Park, some assholes think they could do what they'd like and…and think Nigel wouldn't give a damn. But they couldn't be more wrong…"

"What do you mean by that?"

I looked back up at him briefly. His face was blank but I could see his forehead had started to bead with sweat.

"They thought they could get away with calling me some skanky names, grope me, feel me up, that kind of thing…some even tried to take Nigel on but ended up with either some of their bones broken or had something pointy stuck in their stomachs." I did my best to make a convincing short and nervous laugh. "The last one wasn't pretty."

"….What happened?"

I sucked air through my teeth. "You don't want to know."

Through the corner of my eye, I noticed he had turned slightly pale and I heard him take in long deep breaths. I had to take a lot of sips of coffee to hide the grin I struggled to supress.

I went back into the dining room, not wanting to be alone with any of them.

The breath caught in my throat when I almost bumped into Cortez. His eyes were bloodshot; his left squinting and watery. His hair was a greasy matted mess and his jaw was coated in stubble. I could smell the same wine from last night a meter away from him; he wore the same clothes from yesterday.

I avoided his gaze by keeping my eyes on my mug as I steadily headed towards the dining table; knowing I should stay as close to Ranger as possible. I looked up to see him and Pedro with eyes darting from me to Cortez. I heard the door to the kitchen open and felt Ezio's eyes land on my back.

"Stephanie," Cortez blurted out suddenly. Despite Ranger's warning, I felt compelled to look at him. He scowled at me with a sneer that scrunched up the tissue of his scar. "Do you remember what happened last night? _Are you happy?"_

I took a deep breath and tried to be nonchalant.

"What about last night?" I asked, giving a small shrug before turning towards the table again.

"YOU DAMN WELL KNOW!"

I screamed when I was grabbed by the arm and yanked backwards. The mug slipped from my hands and smashed against the floor as I felt my back hit the wall before Cortez's hands clasped round my neck.

"I MIGHT HAVE BEEN PISSED LAST NIGHT BUT I COULD FEEL YOU WANTED IT! I KNOW YOU DID!" He bellowed whilst spraying me with spit.

Ezio and Pedro appeared either side of him and took hold of his arms. It took a few attempts to pry him off me until Ranger reached us.

He unclenched Cortez's fingers from around my neck and Ezio and Pedro managed to pull him away from me as I was wrapped in Ranger's arms and pressed against his chest.

My heart was thundering and I felt lightheaded as I panted heavily while Cortez finished his morning announcement.

"YOU HAVN'T EVEN BEEN ON THIS ISLAND A DAY AND YOU'RE ALREADY COMING BETWEEN ME AND AN OLD FRIEND! YOU LITTLE TRAMP! YOU CU-"

"CORTEZ!" Ezio yelled his eyes wide with panic. "_Nigel__es más peligroso__de lo que pensamos__!_" He gave me a glance. "_No le gusta__a nadie__jugar con__su__mujer._ _Sé que es__duro__, pero fresco, hermano."_

I hid my face against Ranger's chest just before Cortez turned to glare at me. I felt Ranger's hand cradle the back of my head as his arm on my back pressed me harder against him.

"Look man," I heard Pedro say. "You need to relax and recover from your hangover. That's the second time you've scared Stephanie."

There were sounds of footsteps fading away out the dining room until Ranger and I were left alone.

I dared to look up to see him glaring blankly ahead of him.

"_Son of a bitch." _He muttered before looking down at me. "I told you they were dangerous."


End file.
